WTC Final: BJ Watling will be sorely missed feels Neil Wagner

New Zealand quick Neil Wagner who is currently in England along with the national side for a three-match Test sojourn including the World Test Championship Final against India will miss wicket-keeper batsman BJ Watling who has announced his retirement from international cricket after the England tour. 

"He's a top man and will be sorely missed in this team. He's the glue and the gel of the team and has been around for a long time now," Wagner said about his teammate from New Zealand.  

Watling, 35, would be leaving behind a legacy where he turned out to be the saviour for the Blackcaps on many occasions, including the brilliant double hundred at Mount Maunganui against a touring England in 2019. Wagner, who himself is in the twilight of his career feels that Watling has been one of the great servants of the game and his go-to man in times of crisis. 

"I've always appreciated his honesty. He's one of the guys who put me back in line if need be but will also encourage you and pick you up on the tough days. He's always been there for me, whether for plans or ideas. No matter how tired he is, he will sprint from the keeping side, run all the way to your mark to have a chat with you with a couple of plans,” said the 35-year-old Otago Volts man. 

“He's been a class performer for this team and he's always seen to be the guy that has done the nitty-gritty sort of stuff well and encourages people like myself and everyone around the team," added Wagner while at the same time not wishing for his wicket-keeper batsman to once again come good at the showpiece event the WTC Final. 

But before the WTC Final at Southampton starting June 18, both Wagner and Boult would be up against England in a two-match Test series, starting Jun2 at Lord’s.

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Tactical changes required to win overseas feels Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo

After their 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo hopes to take his side to the next level and he believes winning overseas will take them to a level where they can be compared with teams who are ahead of them in the ICC rankings. Domingo wants a change in the team approach with adjustments required in strategical and tactical areas. He wants Bangladesh to improve their scoring pattern especially in foreign conditions which have kept them away from series victories in foreign conditions. Domingo feels that winning “one or two big games” will set the platform for their rise, especially in alien conditions. "The big challenge for this ODI team is to try to win away from home under different conditions," Domingo told ESPNcricinfo. "They are a very good team in Bangladesh. I think if we can get that confidence going away from home, it will be a big thing. I think playing away from home, we need to win one or two big games. Once you get the confidence and belief that you can do it, that will put the team in a much better place mentally,” he further added. The Bangla Tigers managed to register their 10th home ODI series win since the 2015 World Cup out of their last 11 assignments. The 50 overs format seems to be the format that Bangladesh enjoys the most. However, when it comes to their record in overseas conditions, Bangladesh have the worst win-loss ratio since 2015 having lost 5 out of the 7 series played during that period. While the fab four of Bangladesh has led from the front, Domingo wants all-round improvement in all the squad members to harbour hopes of winning outside Bangladesh on a more consistent basis. "There's a certain bit of up-skilling that needs to take place with bat and ball," he said. "People need to improve in various departments to make sure they can win some games away from home. This team has won away from home in other conditions but to challenge them to win in those conditions is something that the team needs to embrace and take it forward,” Domingo said. Bangladesh’s scoring rate in the 50-overs format has been a concern. In a modern era, where even scores above 350 get chased down easily, Bangladesh seriously needs to ponder on this aspect of the game. They have an average of 238 runs in 38 ODIs at home since April 2015. While their average goes up to 248 in wins, it is 269 when it comes to average scores in overseas victories. With several teams scoring in excess of 300 with utmost ease, Domingo feels that while scores of 230 and 240 could turn out to be enough in places like Dhaka, they must score more in order to win games overseas. This remains one of the primary agendas of Domingo. "I am not at all concerned by the number of runs we are scoring in Dhaka," he says. "You can only score as much as the wickets allow you sometimes. Not many times teams get 300 in Dhaka. Definitely when you are playing away from home, 230s or 240s are not going to win you many games. We have to be able to challenge ourselves, play expansively to get up to 300 and 350. It is of paramount importance in the modern game,” Domingo further stated.

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West Indies resume preparatory camp for SA series after all players tests negative

The full West Indies contingent has resumed training in full swing at the preparatory camp in St Lucia in the lead up to their two-match Test series against South Africa. All the players part of the preparatory camp has returned negative COVID-19 reports in order to resume full-fledged practice. Training sessions had to be cancelled after fast bowler Marquino Mindley tested positive for the deadly virus on 22nd May. In the following days, the players were only allowed to train in smaller groups. It was confirmed by the West Indies Cricket Board that players were divided into two groups and underwent practice sessions on Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, Mindley who tested positive earlier has also returned a negative report. However, he can only join the squad back after one more negative RT-PCR test. In order to get some practice under their belt, the players will lock horns against each other in a Best vs Best four-day practice game starting on Monday. Meanwhile, West Indies head coach Phil Simmons was satisfied with how things are turning up at the preparatory camp. "I am happy that we are back to full training. We are happy with the preparations up to this point and everyone is fully aware of what is required. Yes, we had four good Test matches (vs Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), but at the same time, people need to know that their position is not guaranteed unless they continue to play well. Guys who are out, need to show that they want to get back in by doing well in these games. So, it is a benefit to every one of us,” Simmons said. West Indies will lock horns against the Proteas in two Tests starting on 10th June at St Lucia. It will be followed by a five-match T20I series slated to be played in Granada. West Indies will also host Pakistan and Australia in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in November. Full training camp squad Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Shamrah Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Keron Cottoy, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Hoarding, Jahmar Hamilton, Kavem Hodge, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Paul Palmer Jr, Veerasammy Permaul, Anderson Philip, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales, Nial Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Jomel Warrican

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Would love to share new ball: Anderson wants to pair up with Broad despite rotation policy

England’s two of the most experienced quicks James Anderson and Stuart Broad have among them more than 900 scalps while bowling together and Anderson feels they could add to that tally, even more, this summer. The senior partner in the partnership, Anderson is also approaching his 1000 First Class wicket and is on his way to becoming the most capped English Test player in the history of the game. “I don’t know what the plan is for the summer. We [He and Broad] have been texting quite a bit and we would love to play together but it’s out of our hands. We have to prepare as well as we can to make sure we are in the best shape possible,” Anderson told Skysports. Speaking about the showpiece event of this summer, the five-match Test series against India, Anderson, who would be turning 39 in July said, “Yes. I’d love to play all seven Tests this summer. There are five Tests against India after these two Tests against New Zealand, and then the Ashes after that.” “So, we want to start this summer well. So hopefully if we do pick our strongest team, we (Anderson and Stuart Broad) would like to think that we’re both in that. And we’d love to share the new ball, yes,” added the Burnley born speedster. Jofra archer would be missing the English summer due to elbow surgery and Anderson wants him to recuperate slowly but fully considering the interest of England in the upcoming winter season. "It's tough when you have a recurring injury like that but as a bowler, it's part and parcel of the job, really,” he said. "It might take a bit of time over the summer to get it right but from an English point of view we need him fighting fit for the winter with the T20 World Cup and the Ashes,” added Anderson who would be looking to hit the ground running on June 2 at Lord’s.

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Never imagined in a million years: James Anderson on becoming most-capped English Test player

James Anderson is fit and running and he showed that in the county championship game that he played earlier this month. Now the 38-year-old would be aspiring to, first, equal his former skipper Alastair Cook’s record for most Test caps (161) when he plays the first Test of the two Tests series against New Zealand at Lord's on June 2, and, then overhaul it by getting a place in the xi in the second Test as well. "For a bowler to play this amount of games, I don't know what the word is, but it's a bit mind-blowing to me," a thrilled Anderson was quoted as saying to Skysports. "It does make me feel proud. I never imagined in a million years I'd get to this point. I don't feel like I've played that many games. My body doesn't feel old or tired,” added the man who has played 160 Tests in a span of 18 years. Talking about his love for the format in which he is the highest wicket-taker among the active bowlers, and has most wickets for a fast bowler (614 wickets), Anderson said, "I just absolutely love Test cricket.” “I've got a huge passion for it. Growing up, all I wanted to do is play Test cricket for England and I'm honoured I've been able to do it for this long,” the Burnley born added. The right arm swing bowler is also approaching another milestone of 1000 First Class wickets, having accumulated 992 till now. Anderson believes that it is a rare feat considering the amount of T20 cricket that is being played currently in the world. “It's a lot of wickets and in this day and age, I don't know if it's possible to get that many first-class wickets anymore,” said Anderson who picked up three wickets playing for Lancashire against Glamorgan in the Championship recently. “With the amount of cricket that's played there doesn't seem to be that longevity in bowlers and there's loads of T20 cricket and whatever else going on around the world. I'm just happy to still be here, to be honest,” he added.